Prisoner of Asgard
by Bugsie Bunny
Summary: Vana Polles is a female guard of the dungeon on Asgard, Loki Laufeyson is a prisoner of that very dungeon. Vana spots Loki's mistreatments and sets out to end them, all the time, becoming more and more attached to Loki and him becoming attached to her for her kindness towards the monster Loki imagines himself to be.
1. Short straws

"Shortest straw takes his dinner, although I believe he doesn't deserve it, he deserves to starve to death." One guard sneered, pulling out straws in his hand, all different sizes.

"Delvin, you shouldn't jest about someone so feared." A different guard said as I set down my book from where I was sat, the corner of the room on a small oak chair and standing up to see what the commotion was.

"He has no magic, no power, he is nothing more than a boy now, pick your fate." Delvin replied, shoving his arm out to the 4 surrounding guards. "You too Vana." He said.

"What's the verdict?" I asked, absent minded drawing a straw and viewing the undeniably short nature of its length.

"Whoever is too deliver ex- prince Loki's dinner." He said, smirking at me since my straw was the shortest. _Prince Loki? The god who tried to take control of Midgard. Oh no._ A tray of food was shoved into my chest with so much force I had to step back to catch myself. "Go on, don't keep the prisoner waiting, he might want to control your mind." Delvin laughed before turning away, I glared daggers into the back of his skull before taking a deep breath and walking into the dungeon.


	2. Mistreatment

I strutted into the dungeon, getting a few familiar dirty looks off people as I walked by. The main sound in the corridor with cells either side was the small clicking sound of my heels. The cells in the dungeon had see through walls although they were barriers and were more than capable of holding back the prisoners. I eventually saw Prince Loki's cage and what I saw was truly horrific. I reached his cage and gazed through the barrier at the sight before me. He laid sitting on the floor, his arms hoisted above his head by chains that were noticeably cutting too deep into his wrists, the muzzle had been shoved more than necessary into his mouth with blood dripping either side, dried and then some newer. The rest of his wasn't much better. Hi hair frizzed like a dog in the rain, the clothes he wore looked tattered and old, altogether he looked positively tortured and by his pained expression across his features, he looked to be completely exhausted. He hadn't even opened his eyes to the sound of me opening his barrier and stepping inside.

"Prince Loki?" I asked quietly, I knew he wasn't sleeping. He tilted his head my way an his emerald green eyes only just peeked open to give a small glance to me. "I have brought your dinner." I continued, stepping forward once, he didn't move. Usually, the guards would just leave the tray and walk away, sometimes leaving it out of reach just to torture the criminal even more, luckily for some, I wasn't like that although I didn't usually deliver the dinner. I mostly oversee workers and take direct orders from the Allfather. to the other guards of the dungeon. I placed the tray down gently as not to spill its contents although there wouldn't be much to spill anyway, there were merely scraps pulled together to look like a fit meal. No wonder he is exhausted, he would be getting no energy from the scrapings here. Even the royal dogs get more food than this. I decided to rid him of the muzzle that obviously pained him so. I magicked up a small, dampened cloth and placed it down on the tray for later before untying Loki's muzzle from the back of his head where the painfully tight knot had been skilfully tied. I have powers, magical powers, my name, Vana, coming from Vanahiemr, the realm of forestry, growth and wisdom because I have powers that are connected to plants among other things. I dropped the offending muzzle to the floor like it was boiling metal. Loki's mouth closed gently from not having the object any longer in his mouth although he didn't protest when I picked the damp cloth back up and began to dab his warm head and mouth, wiping away the blood and healing his mouth myself. I soon unlocked the shackles holing his arms in the air and obviously stretching his muscles, letting them slide back down to his lap as carefully as possible. After that was done, I was about to remove the cloth from his face when his left hand moved to mine, his hand on top of mine. He opened his mouth to speak. "Please don't waste your energy, you still have to eat." I stated, politely and he didn't say anything. He didn't look strong enough to feed himself so I helped, giving him little bite-sized pieces of bread and meat, halfway through, he truly spoke up.

"Must you...feed me...like an infant?" He breathed, his voice croaking and tired, I smiled at his comment.

"Forgive me, but you are not strong enough to do it yourself." I replied gently, giving him one more mouthful of food which he slowly but surely swallowed.

"Then...why not...leave me?" He asked, that struck me a little, I brushed some of the frizzy mess of hair from his face, my fingers changing the frizz to his usual slicked back hairstyle with a quick flick of my wrist. He started to look like his old self again, and I think that was a good thing. I placed the now empty food plate down onto the tray and looked back at him.

"Because I am not like other guards, I wont leave someone to suffer, no matter what they have done." I replied, my hands in my lap and my head down.

"Hey, Vana! Your not getting mind controlled yet, are you?" Delvin's shrill voice cut through the room from the guards quarters.

"Not just yet, give me a few more minutes!" I called back before looking to Loki. "Don't mind him, just a big bully guard." I smiled, he smiled back. "Do you want some water?" I asked, picking up a small cup, bringing it to his lips, h did put his hands on it but I kept mine there just in case, he finished the water and I placed everything back onto the tray before picking up the key for his arms. "Sorry." I said before lifting his hands and locking them back to their original position.

"So your name is Vana?" Loki's small but getting stronger voice asked as I locked his wrists and brought my hands back down, glaring daggers at the muzzle across the floor but not quite reaching for it yet.

"Indeed, I already know yours." I replied, smiling before dropping it when I reached for the muzzle.

"Then why are you not afraid?" He asked back, I stopped my actions as the muzzle only just touched my fingertips and looked back at him.

"I don't know, to be quite honest. Maybe its because I feel like I understand your point of view." I said, fingers wrapping around the muzzle.

"No one understands me." He snapped, his voice a little more normal but a tad bit hoarse.

"Don't be too sure." I said, moving to put it on but stopped.

"I am sure." He replied, I sighed and tied the muzzle back on but as loose as possible so it wasn't stretching out his mouth.

"I may just have to prove it to you then, wont I?" I asked before picking up the tray and standing back up to my feet, opening the cage and stepping out with it locking behind me and I went back to the guards quarters. I placed the tray on the side and went back to my corner and book, sitting in the chair and acting like nothing had happened.

"So, did he give you any trouble?" Delvin asked, as nosey as always.

"Not in the way you'd expect." I smirked back.


	3. Portraits

I finished up my shift until about 5:30pm (Midgardian time) and changed my outfit and walked into the real halls of the palace. As a dungeon guard, I am privileged to the right of being able to walk the halls freely and without schedule. I strutted in my gold heels across the red carpeted floors with golden framed pictures until I came across on that aught my eye, I stopped my walk and turned to face the intriguing painting. The painting was two boys, young, maybe around 10 years old (in Midgardian years) and happy together, the blonde one covered from head to toe in mud and the other with the black, slicked back, short hair with a book in one hand and the muddy ones arm over his shoulder as he forced a smile to in front of the 'I hate mud' expression. It took a few moments who the boys were.

"A brother portrait." Someone's deep voice in the almost empty hall startled me, I twisted to see Prince Thor and I bowed.

"Prince Thor." ducked my head before standing back up straight. "If I may, what are you doing in the halls at this time? Shouldn't you be in the dining hall enjoying the banquet?" I asked, trying not to be out of my place with my question.

"Please, only call me 'Thor'. And to answer your question, I have just finished. And pray tell what you are doing, not in the banquet hall, Milady?" He asked, I smiled gently and politely.

"I have just finished my duties, I was intrigued by that painting. A brotherly portrait, you mentioned?" I asked, addressing the painting with a gesture, Thor stood next to me, crossing his arms.

"Me and Loki as we were children, that portrait was painted after a hot day in the gardens, I had continued to roll around in the grass as Loki stayed inside, reading, I managed to tug him outside and my mother thought it best to capture the moment." Thor explained, I nodded through his explanation.

"I see." I responded, we stood in un-awkward silence for a few moments. "Do you see...much of your brother, nowadays, Thor?" I inquired.

"Why do you ask?" He replied.

"I am a guard of the dungeon and I can say I have not seen you down there since Prince Loki's imprisonment..."

"That is none of your concern." He said in a slightly more stern voice.

"I sincerely apologise if I have offended thee." I immediately answered. "All I meant was that I mostly oversee workers and take direct orders from the Allfather to the other guards of the dungeon. I apologise, it was not my place to say." I said, head down and facing the painting.

"I understand. Just please don't question me about this again, it is a family matter, even if you do take orders from the Allfather, you are not at liberty to offer an opinion."

"I am truly sorry, your highness." I stated, head still bent. He started to turn away.

"Enjoy your evening, Milady, the banquet is almost over, suggest you get yourself fed." He finished before disappearing down the hall, I raised my head with a grumble, _royals can be so annoying._ I turned back to the way I came, _I wasn't all that hungry anyway._ I started heading back to my quarters in the guard barracks and changed into something more suitable for bed. I slipped into the covered and thought to myself, thoughts that shouldn't be on my mind appeared. Thoughts about how Thor, being Loki's brother, should have visited him at least once, Loki had been here for over a (Midgardian) year. I wondered about what would have happened if Loki really did take over Midgard, over Asgard, then I started thinking about how good of a king he may have been. But then I stopped myself, I was treading into he border of treason there. I cleared my mind and slowly let myself slip into a peaceful sleep, but I knew I coldnt let Loki be treated this way for long.


End file.
